Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine presided over a U.S. Southern Command change-of-command ceremony on December 12, 2025, marking the transition from the outgoing commander Admiral Holsey to his successor, signaling organizational continuity for the strike campaign. Admiral Holsey’s reported internal objections to the strikes and his subsequent early departure were noted by public reporting as evidence that legal questions about strike orders were actively contested inside the chain of command.
SOUTHCOM Change-of-Command Ceremony Held